Robert Ouimet walks participants through the world of digital video. | Image: Sue Biely.

When we started working with program designer Sue Biely and curriculum designer Robert Ouimet to create Digital Ladders, one of our primary objectives was to ensure that the programming catered to participants at all skill levels, including those who were brand new to digital concepts. On January 8, we hosted our first Salon, Leveraging Video with Robert Ouimet. Among the attendees: BC Alliance executive director Brenda Leadlay, an intrepid leader but a self-confessed neophyte to the digital world. Below is her report back from our first Salon:

“I attended the first Digital Ladders Salon at the BC Alliance on Tuesday night on Leveraging Video facilitated by the charming and insightful Robert Ouimet. I learned a lot about using video on social media platforms — the statistic that really stuck in my head was that you can increase engagement by 60% if you put “video” in the subject line of your newsletters. Now I just have to learn how to shoot and edit!

“I really want to encourage the arts and culture community in BC to take advantage of these Digital Ladder Salons. They are totally non-intimidating thanks to the ‘jump-in” approach of the facilitators and the topics are a smörgåsbord of all things digital. Even if you’re like me and know absolutely nothing about technology, you can get a handle on what can be done with it and what you need to learn. I invite you to take a risk and join me for one of our upcoming salons – even if you don’t know which one to attend. We’re all on this learning curve together.”

If you feel like diving in, you’ve got plenty of options: on January 22, CRMs and the Arts teaches you the basics of Customer Relationship Management technology. We've also got sessions on Location-Based Immersive Experiences (February 19; think Pokémon Go!) and how to move From Creative Vision to Finding Digital Tools (February 26). You can register for all of these sessions starting at $10 at our Salons page.

You can also apply for our three-day Learn-to-Do Labs (map out a sample idea from inception to creation to end-of-life, guided by our expert Faculty) or our first two-day Workshop (bring your unique project or idea and get hands-on mentorship from digital pros) before January 28. Labs and Workshops are free, and participants receive a $125/day stipend for their time.